


Wolves of Arcadia Bay

by WotanAnubis



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, F/F, Fingering, Implied Masturbation, Nudity, Plot With Porn, Polyamory, Threesome - F/F/F, Werewolf Chloe, Werewolf Kate, Werewolf Max
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-16 01:54:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11243919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WotanAnubis/pseuds/WotanAnubis
Summary: In which Kate struggles with her lycanthropy.





	1. A Night Alone

**Author's Note:**

> It's pretty much a given that if I stick with a fandom long enough, werewolves will happen at some point.

Kate sat in the darkness of her room, kneeling next to her bed, her hands wrapped together in desperate prayer. A few candles were the only light around except for the... the other light Kate didn't want to think about. She'd also lit a few sticks of incense too in the hope the scent would calm her. It wasn't working.

A rosary was wrapped around her wrists, tying her hands together. She'd hoped it would help chain the thing awakening in her soul.

Pleas and prayers were spilling from her lips in urgent whispers. They weren't any kind of official prayer a priest might use in a sermon, but they were heartfelt.

_Please God, protect me._

_Please God, save me._

_Please God, deliver me._

_Please God, make this not happen._

Kate felt her soul churn in her chest. Wild and violent and red with blood and rage. No amount of prayer could soothe it. No pious intention could keep it at bay. No crucifix could chain it. The beast thrashed just under her skin, hot and aching, threatening to break out of her body at any moment.

Kate looked up at Heaven, but only saw the nearly full moon. Its pale light streamed into her eyes and filled her soul.

Kate jumped up and staggered back. She unclasped her hands and didn't notice she tore the rosary apart. Little wooden beads scattered all over the floor, followed shortly by the unheeded cross.

_Not here, not here._

Kate bolted out of her room and ran down the dorm corridor. Her heart hammered in her chest, her breathing was hot and desperate. She could feel the beast welling up. She could feel its rage become her own anger. It was outraged at being denied and confined and Kate shared its distaste of the cages she'd built.

Kate started tearing at her clothes with hand that more resembled paws. She left a trail of shredded cloth in her wake, revealing a body that looked a lot bigger and a lot stronger than it had a few minutes ago. Her bare skin seemed to split apart as wild fur pushed through everywhere. Her teeth lengthened, became sharper. Her hair grew longer before merging into her growing fur.

Kate broke through the doors and staggered out into the cold midnight air.

The nearly full moon cast its light down on her changing body.

The beast that had been Kate howled.

* * * * *

Kate slowly emerged from sleep. She was warm and cold. She hurt all over and was calm and satisfied. Slowly, her awakening brain started joining up what her senses were telling her.

She was naked and the cold came from around her. She was warm inside, but there was a second warmth - someone lying behind her, one arm around her stomach. By the feel of them on her skin, they were naked too. She was also lying on something irregular and kind of scratchy. Twigs, leaves, grass and dirt, by the feel of it.

She was outside.

She was _naked_ and she was outside.

She was _naked_ and she was outside **with someone else**.

Kate's eyes slammed open and she jumped up. Her sleeping companion groaned and rolled out of the way. Kate, panting with bewilderment and confusion, stared down at her.

Chloe. Blackwell's most infamous dropout. She was, indeed, naked. And she was covered in dried-up blood and a whole mess of very pale scars that seemed to get paler and thinner the longer Kate stared at her.

"What's going on?"

Chloe opened her eyes. They flashed gold before returning to their normal blue.

"And good morning to you, too," Chloe growled. "Quite a night, wasn't it?"

"What...? What are you...? Oh. Oh, no." Kate sank down onto her knees. "It's happened again, hasn't it?"

Chloe gave her a strange look. "Yeah. It sure has. And do you remember what exactly it was that happened?"

Kate sighed. "Of course not," she said miserably. "The beast just takes over, doesn't it?"

"So you remember nothing?" Chloe asked urgently. "Not one thing?"

" _No_ ," said Kate.

"Not one single little image? Maybe a feeling? Or a taste in your mouth or anything. Nothing?"

Kate hugged herself. She still wasn't cold, but she was getting more miserable by the second. "No. Nothing."

"Shit," Chloe muttered. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but that's just _fucked_."

"Why?" Kate demanded. "Are you saying you... What are you saying?"

Chloe got to her feet and idly dusted herself off. "I'm saying I found you rampaging last night like a rabid animal. Had to lure you out to the woods to keep you out of the way of the civvies."

Kate blinked and looked up at her. "What... what are you?"

"Werewolf, same as you," Chloe replied shortly.

"But then, how is it you remember last night? Didn't you change?"

"Of course I did. Not about to tangle with a violently insane werewolf in my human shape. I'm not crazy."

"Then how...?" Kate asked.

Chloe sighed. "The beast doesn't take over." She extended a hand. "Come on, get up. No point in wallowing in self-pity."

Kate took the proffered hand and got to her feet again. She winced, pain flaring through every limb. As she looked down at herself, it was easy to see why. She, too, was covered in blood and scars. At least the scars were fading fast. The blood stayed.

"Did I... kill anyone?" she whispered.

"No," said Chloe in what was, for her, a gentle tone of voice. "But if you don't sort yourself out, you will. Now come on, I got some clothes stashed nearby."

Chloe turned abruptly and walked away. Kate sidled after her. Now that the initial shock was fading, she was becoming ever more aware that was completely stark naked out in the woods. Yes, it was early in the morning. Yes, fog still clung to the trees. It was very unlikely anyone would see her. But they still might. Someone might just decide to take a brisk morning walk through the woods and see her. Naked.

Chloe strode on ahead. She was just as naked, but if it was bothering her, she didn't show it. She walked through the trees as though she owned this forest and anyone else was just an irrelevant interloper. Kate tried to keep up, walking awkwardly with one arm across her breasts and one hand in front of her crotch, muttering silent prayers to please, please, not be seen.

After what seemed like an eternity, Chloe stopped near a big oak and rummaged around between its bulging roots, pulling away branches and leaves. Eventually, she produced a pile of clothes which she dropped on the ground.

Kate gratefully lunged for the clothes. She had no idea how long they'd been lying under that tree and didn't care. She struggled into a faded pair of jeans and pulled on a ragged t-shirt. It was black and had a picture of a skull on it. A wolf skull, appropriately enough.

The clothes were not her. They were too big and too dirty and too worn and too... 'punk'. But Kate was unspeakably grateful to be wearing them anyway. It was a shame there were no socks or shoes in the pile, but at least all the important bits were covered up.

Chloe searched around in the pile of clothes and, to Kate's astonishment, pulled out a phone. She started texting at once.

"Are... aren't you getting dressed?" Kate asked incredulously.

"Yeah, yeah, in a sec," Chloe said, as though getting dressed was only a minor detail compared to the huge importance of texting someone.

When Chloe was done, she casually tossed the phone onto the clothes pile, then selected a few items with a lot more thought and care than Kate had done. The pile was all jeans and skull tees which all looked the same to Kate, but Chloe apparently thought differently.

"You should head back to Blackwell," Chloe said, once she was about as decent as she ever got. "You must be hungry after last night."

"Actually, I wasn't," said Kate. "Until you just mentioned it."

Chloe grinned. "Often the case. Anyways, I'll see you around. Have a nice day, and all that."

"Uhm. Yes. Thanks. You too."

* * * * *

Kate made her way back to the Blackwell girl's dorm as slowly and as stealthily as she could. Yes, she was covered up, but she wasn't dressed. She was barefoot in ragged punk clothes that didn't fit her. If anyone saw her, she would never hear the end of it. Victoria would have a field day.

Someone did see her. The moment she walked in the door.

Max had been waiting for her.

Before Kate could speak or even react at all, Max wrapped her in a warm hug. Kate could feel some of the terror and tension draining from. There was something so soft and so comfortable about Max. Made her feel like, maybe, things would be alright.

"I hear you've had a rough night," Max whispered.

But they wouldn't be.

"You could say that," Kate replied into Max' shoulder.

"It'll get better, I promise," Max whispered. "I know quite a bit about it myself."

Kate pulled back enough to see Max' face, but not so much to break free from her embrace. Smiling gently, Max' brown eyes turned to gold, then back to brown again. It had only been a moment, barely a second or two, but it had happened.

"You too?" Kate whimpered.

Max nodded. "Chloe turned me into a werewolf when I was six. Those were some pretty bad few months, at first, but... you get used to it."

"Promise?"

"Of course."

Slowly, Max stared leading Kate down the hallway back towards her room. Kate didn't really want to move, didn't want to walk. Just wanted Max to hug her some more. Max did keep one arm around her shoulder in a partial embrace, but... it wasn't really the same.

Kate leaned her head on Max' shoulder. Breathed deep.

"I've been so scared," she confessed.

"I can imagine," said Max. "When did it start?"

"A few months back," said Kate. "I just... was out late one night and I looked at the moon and..."

"You weren't bitten?" said Max. "No other werewolves in the family?"

"I wasn't bitten," said Kate. "And if there are werewolves in the family, they're not telling."

"Weird," said Max. "But, well, it's not important right now, right?"

"It's full moon tonight," Kate whispered.

" _That's_ important," said Max. "But you got me and Chloe now. We'll do whatever we can to help you through this. I promise, you'll be OK."

Kate sighed. Her heart was hammering in her chest, but for the first time in weeks it wasn't in abject terror. For the first time in a while, she felt a glimpse of hope. Small and fragile, but still a tiny speck of light in the darkness that had been crowding her soul.

"I believe you, Max."


	2. Full Moon

Showers were civilization. Even the outdated ones in the Blackwell girl's dorm. The constant stream of hot water washed away all the blood and the dirt and warmed the body in a much more pleasant way than barely suppressed rage did.

As she bathed, Kate felt almost content. Or, if not content, then at least human. Her scars had disappeared completely, leaving her unblemished and entirely normal. There was no hint remaining of what she'd got up to last night.

Except inside. But even the beast was quiet right now. Not gone, never gone, but... quiet. It had been getting louder and angrier the closer full moon had got, but maybe now that it had been allowed to run free for a bit, perhaps the beast was satisfied in some way. Not as angry.

Then again, maybe it had been meeting Max and realising she was a werewolf too that had helped calm it. Maybe the beast felt better now that it knew it wasn't alone. It had certainly helped Kate.

But quiet or not, calm or not, it wouldn't matter. Tonight was the _actual_ full moon. Tonight the beast would tear free and do... whatever it was the beast did when it was loose. And considering all the blood and scars that had covered both her own body and Chloe, it would not be pleasant.

Kate sighed. Later. She'd worry about it later. For now it was enough just enjoy a shower and get really clean. She should be allowed to have that much at least.

Fifteen minutes later, and feeling more like Kate Marsh than she had the last few days, Kate emerged from the showers. She caught sight of herself in one of the mirrors and couldn't resist taking a closer look.

No, her eyes were just their regular colour. Her teeth weren't particularly sharp. Her hair didn't seem to cover up any inconvenient patches of fur. She looked entirely human. She _was_ entirely human. Except for the bit of her that wasn't.

She wondered how Max had done it. How she'd just let her eyes flash gold like that. She'd done it on purpose, Kate was sure. But she had no idea how. The beast was just this wild force of rage and violence. It couldn't be put on a leash and let out for a few seconds before getting dragged back. Could it? It'd be nice to think it could. It'd be nice to think she could be safe.

The door to the dorm bathroom opened and what had been an almost passably pleasant morning turned into a dreadful nightmare.

Victoria marched in and leaned against the sink next to Kate's.

"What a night, huh?" Victoria said, in a very strange tone of voice. It was almost friendly.

"What?" said Kate. "It was just another night. Wasn't it?"

Victoria stared at her, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Really? You must be a heavy sleeper."

"Must I?" Kate asked. She wasn't sure she knew where this was going, but definitely knew it wasn't going anywhere good. Conversations with Victoria never did.

"Some wild animal got onto the campus somehow. Roared the whole place down, it was dreadful."

"Oh," said Kate. "I, uh... I didn't hear anything. I'm a heavy sleeper, like you said."

"Sure," said Victoria. "That must be why you always look so well rested."

Victoria kept staring at her as though she was searching for something. Kate tried not to fidget nervously. It'd only invite more comments which would, inevitably, end up hurting her somehow.

Worse, she could feel the beast beginning to stir inside of her. It didn't like Victoria staring at it either. And when it didn't like anything, it knew only one way to feel.

"Well, anyway," Victoria said, turning away from her, "it quite ruined my beauty sleep. So if you're quite done hogging the bathroom, I need to make myself presentable."

Part of Kate wanted to very reasonably point out that they were only two people here in a bathroom designed for more than two. She really didn't need to leave just for Victoria's sake.

Another part of her wanted to smash her stupid face against the wall until there was nothing left but blood and meat.

"Sorry," Kate mumbled meekly. "I'll be going now."

"You do that."

* * * * *

Kate stood in front of the door to Max' room, about to knock. She'd been about to knock for a couple of minutes now. Somehow she hadn't quite progressed to actually knocking on Max' door just yet.

She _needed_ Max. She needed to feel everything would be fine. She needed to think the beast could be tamed. She needed...

She needed the company.

And Max _had_ invited her, when all was said and done. In fact, she'd practically insisted. Told Kate that she shouldn't be alone right now and she'd been absolutely right.

Because Max was a werewolf. Because she was monster and worse than a monster, because she seemed entirely comfortable with what she was. She was the darkness Kate was trying to escape.

These thoughts were wrong, Kate knew. Incorrect. But she kept having them anyway. Her brain just couldn't stop thinking them. The beast wasn't helping. As far as it wanted anything besides slaughter, it wanted to be near Max. Which made her own thoughts of staying away all the more convincing.

But if she stayed away, she **would** end up killing someone. Chloe had been right about that much, at least. And Kate could try telling herself it wouldn't have been her, it would have been the beast, but that wouldn't make her future victim any less dead.

She needed Max.

Kate took a deep breath and knocked.

There was no reply.

She waited ten seconds, maybe fifteen, and tried again.

Still nothing.

Kate tried the door. It wasn't locked. Feeling like a trespasser, Kate walked into Max' room and froze on the spot.

There was a wolf lying on the bed.

It was brown and much larger than any normal wolf. It wasn't doing anything either. It didn't bare its teeth or snarl. It just lay there, looking up at her, head raised like a puppy.

"M- Max?" Kate ventured.

The wolf moved its gaze just enough to focus on the open door. Kate hurriedly closed it. The wolf turned its gaze back to Kate. It just... looked at her. Its eyes were somehow gentle. Although, Kate had just been stared at by Victoria. After that, anyone's eyes would look kind in comparison.

"That... is you, isn't it, Max?" Kate tried.

The wolf nodded.

But that didn't make any sense! Yes, it was full moon tonight, but it was still morning now. And it... the animal... it couldn't be Max. It was the beast inside Max. And yet, it seemed to understand her. It wasn't even mildly threatening.

"Can you turn back?" Kate asked.

The wolf looked at her for a second, then changed. Its muzzle flattened, its ears moved down the sides of its head. Its fur seemed be drawn back into its body, becoming bare, pink skin. Its paws flowed back into hands.

Max sat up. Kate turned around abruptly. She'd only caught a brief glimpse of Max' naked body, but that was enough to get her blushing.

"And could you also put some clothes on, please?" Kate asked.

"Gee, demanding much?" Max said playfully.

Kate kept her eyes fixed on the door while she listened to the rustling of clothes behind her. Part of her was tempted to turn around and catch another glimpse before Max was fully dressed. She wasn't sure which part. She resisted the urge anyway.

"Alright, I'm decent," Max announced.

Kate turned around. Max, as promised, was fully dressed. Kate couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. She knew she shouldn't be, but she was. She took a step forward. Then another. She wanted to rush into Max' arms. Hug her. Feel her. Let her reassure her.

"How are you holding up?" Max asked.

"I've been better," Kate replied. "I've been worse, too."

Max came closer and put a comforting hand on her arm. Her warmth spread through Kate in an instant.

"Let's just get through today, shall we?" Max said. "Full moon is, like, hours away. We got plenty of time."

"How'd you do it?" Kate blurted out. She hadn't meant to, but she had to ask. "You were the wolf and you didn't attack me! How'd you do it?"

Max gave her an awkward look. "I don't think I can explain it you right now. I mean, I'll try, but I don't think you'll understand."

"Try," said Kate. "I have to know."

Max took a deep breath. "Alright. That wasn't the wolf. That was me. There isn't a wolf. There's just me."

"Oh," said Kate hollowly. "It's not that way with me. There's, you know, something different. Something angry."

"I know," Max said gently. "I remember thinking that, too, once. Anyway, want some tea?"

Kate found herself smiling weakly. "That'd be nice."

It was nice. It wasn't good tea, but it was nice. Kate had wanted to take her chair, but Max had practically dragged her onto the bed. They were sitting next to each other, shoulder to shoulder.

It was nice.

"Do you still play violin?" Max asked out of the blue.

Kate took a sip before replying. "Not much anymore."

"You should go get it," said Max. "We'll have a jam session."

"Me on violin and you on guitar? I don't think it'll work."

"Come on, it'll be fun. Besides," Max nudged her, "music soothes the savage beast and all that."

"You think so?"

"Worth a shot, don't you think."

In the end, Kate got her violin. She held it carefully. It felt... strange in her hands. Alien. She hadn't touched the fragile instrument since... since that first night when... Well, it hadn't seemed right. Violins were elegant and delicate. They didn't belong with something like Kate.

Max began on her guitar. It wasn't any tune Kate recognised. Could be it was music from one of those obscure indie bands Max was so fond of. Could be she was just playing without really knowing where she was going. It didn't really matter. The tune was simple and breezy. There wasn't much to it. But then, Kate wasn't exactly in the mood for something heavy.

Kate took a deep breath and put her bow on the strings. For a moment, she wondered. Go along or introduce a counterpoint? Well, it didn't really matter. Whatever she did would be fine.

Music filled the afternoon.

Mostly they played together, their shared notes dancing in the lazy air. More than once their improvised tunes crashed into each other in a terrible discord and Max and Kate giggled at the mess. There were a few breaks for something to drink or a snack. Usually only one of them got something while the other played on.

Whenever Max put her guitar aside for a moment, Kate tempted her violin into something classical and complicated. She was a better violinist than Max was a guitarist and she couldn't quite resist the temptation to show off. Just a bit.

Kate was happy. The knowledge struck her out of the blue. She didn't know when it happened but, somewhere between all those silly little nonsense tunes she and Max played together, she'd become happy. The sudden realisation left her dumbstruck, but not for long. Max was coaxing another melody from her guitar and it would be rude to leave her on her own.

Slowly, hidden behind the music, the sky turned from blue to red.

There was a knock at the door.

Max put down her guitar. "That'll be Chloe."

"What?" said Kate. Then comprehension dawned. "Oh."

And suddenly the beast was back, pacing back and forth behind its failing bars. Suddenly the hours of music were lost in its growling.

It was Chloe. She stepped into the room as though she owned it. It was quite impossible to look at Max and see a werewolf. It was very, very easy with Chloe. There was an edge to the way she stood. Like she was perpetually in fight-or-flight mode and 'flight' wasn't an option.

Max jumped up and embraced Chloe, grinning hugely. The harsh expression on Chloe's face softened into a smile.

"Hey you," said Max.

"Hey yourself," Chloe replied.

They kissed.

Something caught in Kate's throat. Icy daggers slid into her heart. Even the beast howled in anguish.

One day of music and now it was over. Ripped away. Max' room had been a quiet, content little nest and now Chloe was here and Max was gone and nothing would be right again.

Kate wanted to run back to her room and curl up under the covers on her bed. She wanted to be alone in her sudden misery. And she needed to think about why she felt all this. She needed to think about why even the beast felt like this.

Chloe pulled away and looked at Kate.

"Max here been treating you OK?"

Kate nodded mutely. She wasn't sure she could speak right now.

"Alright, well, better go pack some clothes," Chloe said. "Time we got going. We'll head to the Two Whales for a bite, then out to the woods to spend the night. OK?"

"Sure," said Kate.

* * * * *

Chloe's rustbucket truck trundled down a badly maintained road to the forest. Chloe was the wheel, of course. Max had taken the passenger seat. Kate sat between them, muted and quiet, while the raging storm grew stronger inside her chest.

The sun stood low at the horizon, ready to disappear completely.

Kate looked down at her hands. Max had taken one of her hands and was stroking its back with her thumb. She didn't seem to be thinking about it. Max had taken her hand like it was no big deal. As though it was completely natural.

Kate couldn't stop staring. Her hand in Max'. Felt wrong. Felt right. Felt... difficult. It was something to focus on, anyway. Something other than...

The sun slipped below the horizon.

"We're here," Chloe announced.

* * * * *

'Here' had turned out to only be a parking lot. The three of them still had to trek through a bunch of nighttime wood. Chloe strode on ahead, looking for all world like these were her woods and anyone else around was only here because she allowed it.

Max walked a bit more slowly, but just as confidently as Chloe. Perhaps these weren't _her_ woods, exactly, but she could easily live here if she wanted. She still held Kate's hand. Kate gripped it tight. Whatever else she might be feeling, the warmth of Max' hand was comforting. Just holding it and having her own hand held helped keep her breathing steady. Helped her not panic.

The beast was close now. Already, Kate feel its fur growing underneath her skin. She felt it slamming itself against the bars of her control. Full moon would let it out, but Kate felt that if she didn't fight back, it would come out _anyway_. It was strong and it was angry and it wanted **out**. It had been caged and it wanted freedom and it wouldn't let Kate get in the way.

"This is far enough, I think," said Chloe.

Chloe pulled off her shirt and tossed it aside. She went to unclasp her bra when Max noisily cleared her throat.

" _Chloe._ "

Chloe looked confused. "What?"

"Just hang on one sec, would you?" said Max. "Kate, there's uh... probably should have brought this up sooner, but..."

"You want me to undress," said Kate in a tiny voice.

"Well, obviously," said Chloe. "I mean, you could wait around until the transformation takes care of it, but if you strip now at least your clothes don't get all torn to shreds."

"I get that," said Kate. "I do."

"Well then," said Chloe, and undid her bra.

Kate couldn't help but feel a bit jealous as she watched Chloe strip naked without a care. She wasn't sure why. Maybe because she was taller. Maybe because she had a confidence about her body that Kate lacked. Maybe because it was the body Max wanted.

"You don't have to undress if you don't want to," said Max.

"But I'll lose these clothes if I don't," said Kate.

"There is that. But we brought spare clothes so no matter what happens, you'll have something to wear."

"Not that I know why," said Chloe, planting her hands on her bare hips. "It's not even winter or anything."

"Not helping, Chloe," Max said sharply.

Chloe idly waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

"Would it help if I undressed first?" Max asked gently. "Or do you want me stay dressed? Just say the word."

Kate sighed. "I wouldn't want you to ruin your clothes because of me."

"Alright."

Max let go of Kate hand and stepped away. She undressed quickly. Somehow it was worse watching Max undress than it had been watching Chloe undress. With Chloe... well, it had almost been like she only wore clothes because she had to - or because skulls were _really cool_ \- and she was glad to be rid of them. Nudity came naturally to her.

But Max always wore such cute outfits. Her clothes were soft and weird and geeky and very much a part of her. The further she stripped down, the less like Max she seemed.

And yet... part of her was glad to see Max naked again. It was the part of her that had been disappointed to catch only a glimpse in the morning.

Chloe nudged Kate with her elbow.

"Pretty hot, right?"

" _Chloe!_ "

"What?" Chloe said with faux innocence. "Can't a girl be proud of her girlfriend?"

"This isn't about us, this is about Kate," Max said. "At least try to understand."

Kate stood fidgeting awkwardly. One dressed girl with two naked ones. It... wasn't really anything inside her realm of experience. Her upbringing hadn't exactly prepared her for this.

Her upbringing hadn't prepared her for a lot of things.

The sky was darkening. The beast was restless. Soon it would burst out of her skin. The only choice she had, right now, was whether or not she would let it destroy her clothes when it did.

Slowly, hands shaking, Kate started undoing her blouse. Max turned away from her. So did Chloe. Without any prompting from Max, even. It wasn't much in the way of privacy, but it did make things a little easier.

One by one, Kate's garments fell to the forest floor. She could feel the beast stirring in her chest. As though it knew that the more bare skin she showed, the closer it was to freedom. She tried to ignore it. Couldn't. Already she could feel its fur growing just beneath the surface. She could feel her hands wanting to turn into claws, her hair growing slightly faster than it should. If anyone told her her eyes had already turned to gold she would not be surprised.

Kate stripped out of her underwear and stood, naked, in the dark forest.

"Done," she announced. There was a faint growl in her voice - something animal creeping in.

Max and Chloe turned around at more or less the same time. Chloe headed for the pile of discarded clothes, rammed them into a bag and went to put it with the other bags of spare clothes.

Max headed straight for Kate and hugged her. Kate shivered in her embrace. She was naked and Max was naked and she held her tight and her naked body was pressing against her own naked body and... and it was all too much. She didn't know what to think. So she didn't. Just let Max' touch comfort her.

She felt Chloe hug her as well, embracing her from behind. Kate took a shuddering breath. Naked Max in front, naked Chloe behind and her between the both of them. Absurd, embarassing, definitely confusing, but still so much better than to try and deal with the beast alone.

"Everything will be fine," Max whispered.

"Trust us," Chloe added.

The full moon rose above the trees.

* * * * *

And now the sun was up.

Kate stirred, waking slowly. She felt... alright. Surprisingly alright. No pain. Lying on the ground, but what else could she expect? She was still between Max and Chloe. They were still naked. She was still naked. Right now, that didn't bother her for some reason. Later it might, when she left the woods.

She could feel Max and Chloe pressed against her, the warmth of their bodies, their subtle movement as they breathed. Although, if she really focused, she could sense one breathing more slowly than the other. She wasn't the first one awake, then.

Kate opened her eyes and saw Chloe looking at her. She was smiling. It was a genuine, sincere smile, without irony. It was a rare thing to see on Chloe, but not unwelcome. Kate found herself smiling back.

There wasn't any blood on Chloe's body that she could see. Although, pressed closely against her as she was, there wasn't much of Chloe's body she could actually see. She felt almost all of it instead.

"Morning," said Chloe. "That went a lot better, didn't it?"

"I don't know," said Kate. "I guess? There's no blood, at least."

Chloe looked concerned. "Still don't remember anything?"

"No," said Kate. "I-"

_Speed._

"No, I... I think I do remember... something," Kate said carefully.

"Oh?" said Chloe.

Tongue lolling from her maw. White fur streaked with blue. Trees rushing past. Howls in the night.

"Just... images," said Kate. "No real context or meaning. I think... we were running?"

"Yeah, it was a grand old chase alright," said Chloe.

Kate frowned. Was there more? There had to be more. But there was nothing. Just this overwhelming sense of speed, and... and... something?

"Anyway, doesn't matter you only remember a few bits and pieces," said Chloe. "That you remember anything at all is progress. Don't worry about it."

Kate sighed. "I guess. It's better than nothing, I suppose. The first step to controlling this thing."

"Sure," Chloe said coldly. "Well, you're probably wanting to get up and get dressed like an actual human being, right?"

Kate squirmed a little. "If I got up now, I'd only wake up Max."

True. But not the only reason.

"Ah, you can get up. She won't mind."

"No, it's fine," said Kate. "I'm fine."

Chloe grinned. "You're a weird one, Kate Marsh."

"Just so long as I'm me," Kate replied.


	3. The Day After

The Two Whales was packed when Kate, Max and Chloe arrived shortly after dawn. Men lined the entire length of the bar. Mostly truckers, but one or two cops as well. They sat shoulder to shoulder, yet each man somehow managed to be isolated in his own private little bubble, stoically eating his breakfast.

The TV was turned to a local news station. The anchor was telling everyone how the city council had plans to revitalize Arcadia Bay's flagging economy through a bold, new initiative of offering corporate tax cuts to attract new businesses to the area. Nobody paid it any attention.

The three girls, still dirty from their night in the woods, but at least wearing clean clothes, sat down in the booth way at the back in an effort to get themselves at least a little privacy. Kate sat down on one bench, Max and Chloe on the other, opposite of her. Kate tried not to feel hurt. The benches were only wide enough to seat two and, well, Max and Chloe were obviously close. She couldn't reasonably expect to still be seated between the two of them. Feel herself wrapped in their comforting presence. But that didn't mean she didn't want to.

Much to Kate's surprise, Joyce soon appeared with an entire stack of waffles. She wasn't ungrateful - Joyce's waffles were amazing - but it didn't seem like the kind of breakfast one would offer to three werewolves the morning after a full moon. And considering Chloe... well, surely Joyce knew about them, right?

"Thanks, Joyce," Max said, grabbing a plate and a waffle.

"Yeah, thanks," said Chloe, doing the same.

Joyce gave Kate a curious look. Kate tried not to meet her gaze, but that didn't seem to deter her.

"You've been hanging out with these girls?" Joyce asked.

Kate nodded. "Yes."

"Last night?" Joyce asked.

"Yep," said Chloe.

"So, are you...?" Joyce began, leaving the obvious conclusion to that sentence hanging in the air.

"Yeah," Kate said quietly. "For a couple of months now."

"How odd," said Joyce. "I've seen you at church before, haven't I?"

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Chloe snapped.

"Nothing," said Joyce. "It's just surprising."

"What? She can't be a werewolf because she's a good Christian girl and Jesus protects her from the Big Bad Wolf?" Chloe went on, lowering her a voice a bit, but not by much.

"It's... Kate doesn't strike me as the kind of girl to seek this kind of thing out, that's all."

"I didn't seek anything out," said Kate. "It just... happened."

"Just happened," said Joyce.

"And there ain't nothing wrong with it, so you can just lay off with the third degree, alright?" said Chloe.

"Chloe, you-" Joyce swallowed whatever else she wanted to say. "Fine. You girls enjoy your breakfast."

"Thanks, Joyce," said Kate.

"Mmwf," said Max, whose mouth was too full of waffle to say anything else.

"Man, she knew my dad was a werewolf before they even got married," Chloe grumbled once Joyce had returned to the bar. "Yet to hear her talk, it's like it's this big old sin or whatever."

Kate took a bite of her waffle. It really was excellent, but she didn't really taste it right now. The issue of sin was... complicated. Much more complicated than Chloe's thoughtless dismissal made it seem. But right now wasn't the time for a theological debate, so... much easier to just focus on breakfast instead.

"Anyway," Chloe continued between bites, "I think it's about time we had the Talk."

"What talk?" asked Max.

"About what a werewolf actually is," said Chloe. "Which isn't a human with a wolf stuck into them somehow."

"It does feel that way," said Kate.

"Maybe, but it isn't," said Chloe.

"It's just... you used to be one way and now you're a different way, but there's still just one you," said Max. "At least, that's how I remember it."

"But you were six," said Kate.

"That did probably make it easier," said Max. "I had a lot less baggage, I guess. But... well, haven't you ever been really scared or nervous about something?"

"Of course," said Kate, unsure where this was going.

"But then you pushed those nerves down far enough so you could still whatever you were so afraid about doing? That just meant you were conflicted about something. Didn't mean there were two different Kate Marshes somehow inhabiting the same body. You understand?"

"I think so," said Kate. "But this doesn't really feel like that. Those feelings... they don't feel like they're mine."

"Except they are yours," said Chloe, spraying crumbs as she talked. "Like it or not."

"You just had a whole bunch of new instincts dropped on you out of nowhere," said Max, somewhat more sympathetically. "And that's really hard, especially because they're all so wild. But, like Chloe said, they are yours. And it's up to you to deal with them. You can't blame what happens on the wolf, because it's... well, because it's you."

"Then why don't I remember anything when I... change?" Kate asked. "There's only this mindless rage."

"That's because repressing your feelings never, ever ends well," said Max.

"Besides," Chloe added with a grin, "you weren't all that angry last night. Or this morning or whatever. And you told me you remember bits of our last outing, didn't you?"

"I did," Kate admitted. "I do."

"Well, then," said Chloe.

"Alright," said Max. "That's enough for now, I think. Let's just finish..."

"Yoink," said Chloe, grabbing the second-to-last waffle.

"Kate, want to share the last one?" Max asked.

"That'd be nice," Kate replied.

* * * * *

Chloe had dropped Kate and Max off at the Blackwell campus. The ride had been pretty quiet. That is, they hadn't talked much, but Chloe had put some of her music on. Kate had once again found herself sitting between Chloe and Max and had felt a lot better about everything.

That feeling only became more powerful as she and Max walked away from the parking lot towards the girl's dorm. Max wordlessly slipped her hand into Kate's. Their fingers entwined. Kate wasn't really sure what to think about that. The almost casual affection of the gesture made her dizzy.

Was it a werewolf thing? A... a pack-building thing, maybe?

She didn't know. She didn't want to ask, either. Right now, Kate just wanted to walk hand-in-hand with Max on what shaping up to be a nice, sunny day.

At least until they reached the girl's dorm. The day was still sunny, but with Victoria sitting on a bench obviously waiting for them, it was nowhere near as nice any more.

"Well, if it isn't Caulfield and Kate," said Victoria.

"Victoria," Max greeted her curtly.

Max hadn't let go of Kate's hand. Kate had expected her to yank free, because there was no telling what Victoria would put out on the gossip circuit about them. Instead, Max only held her tighter, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Had a nice little girl's night out?" Victoria asked with mocking sweetness.

"That's really none of your business, Victoria," said Max.

Victoria scoffed. "So you say. But something's going on here. And I will find out, so you might as well save us all the trouble and tell me now."

"I really don't know what you're talking about," said Max. "Come on, Kate."

"Fine," said Victoria, as Max and Kate hurried past her. "Be that way. It really won't matter."

* * * * *

Kate walked into her room, feeling clean, refreshed and kind of cold and alone. She'd spent the whole day yesterday with Max and the whole night yesterday with Max and Chloe and now she really missed their company.

But she couldn't hang out with them all the time. There was still homework to do. And anyway, it wouldn't be for very long. Tonight was the night after full moon, where they'd still be forced to change, so they'd get together in the wood again later on. And then it'd be a whole month before the beast stirred again.

Somehow that knowledge wasn't quite as comforting any more.

Well. Anyway. There was still something else to be done before homework.

Kate walked to where her crucifix hung on the wall, kneeled, and folded her hands. She hadn't gone to church since that first change. It hadn't felt right. Even so, she shouldn't neglect Christ entirely.

_Our Lord Who art in Heaven..._

What happened to werewolves, anyway? Humans, having been created in God's image, were above the beasts of the field. This had led some to believe that animals did not have souls, could not receive the grace of God and so would not go to Heaven. They would just... cease.

Kate had never been an adherent to that particular kind of Christianity, if only because a Heaven where people could be reunited with their pets was a better one than one where they couldn't and God would not create the less-perfect Heaven.

But what about werewolves? They weren't human and they weren't animal. But they were sort of both. And neither. They were monsters that prowled in the dark. Did they have souls? Could they go to Heaven, or were they automatically damned? Did she and Max have souls, because they had been humans once, and did Chloe not have a soul because she'd never been human?

Were her prayers even heard? Jesus Christ was the Messiah, but was He only humanity's Messiah, or had He come to save werewolves as well?

Kate didn't have any answers. She believed in a loving and forgiving God, but there were plenty who didn't. She had faith she was right, but then, so did they. She could ask a preacher, but she suspected he wouldn't have any good answers either.

God knew. But God was not in the habit of answering questions in a clear, straightforward manner.

Kate sighed and got up. It had all been so different, not so long ago. Prayer used to be so uplifting. She used to feel the love of Christ. Now all she had was questions and God was distant and unapproachable. Instead of the peace of Heaven, all she felt was the restlessness of the beast. And, if Max and Chloe were right, that was her own restlessness. Somehow.

Homework, Kate decided. At least homework had definite answers.

But she couldn't focus on homework either. Kate just kept staring at the page, reading it over and over again and retaining nothing. All those words, just meaningless images that didn't make it from her eyes all the way to her brain.

Her mind kept swinging back to this morning, where she'd woke up naked on the forest floor between Max and Chloe. A whole night of... whatever... and she'd woken up happy together with her... friends? Pack? Was that the right word?

And then this morning, in shower, washing away last night's dirt... Max had been in the shower next to hers and Kate had wished she hadn't been. She'd wished for Max to join her or for her to join Max. They'd run naked in the moonlight. What was a shared shower compared to that?

Kate's pencil bounced frantically up and down a page while her eyes saw _The primary aim of the Schlieffen Plan was to quickly knock the French out of the war_ and her mind kept drifting back to this morning and Max.

She'd stayed in the shower even long after getting clean. She'd closed her eyes and imagined Max with her, bar or soap in hand. She'd thought of Max fussing over her, cleaning her. Then the bar of soap had gone, but Max was still touching her. And Chloe had stepped her and kissed her neck and...

And Kate's hand had drifted down her wet body and slipped between her legs.

Kate woke up from her reverie and looked down at her History. Apparently she'd read three pages. She couldn't remember a single word.

Kate pushed herself away from her desk and started pacing back and forth across the room. It was still full moon, that was the problem. Or, well, full moon _enough_. She couldn't focus on something like school because the beast was just too close to the surface. The beast didn't care about the ideas of long-dead men with pointy mustaches. It existed only in the now.

Oh, yes, blame the beast. How convenient. Even if Max and Chloe were wrong and the beast was separate from her, it was still caged and angry and wild. The beast might be eager to run with a pack, but it didn't exactly daydream about showers, did it? That was all her, wasn't it?

Kate looked up at the crucified body of Christ, but there were still no answers there.

Her hands clenched into fists and unclenched again. The sun was still too high in the sky. Tonight she'd transform and run and then... Then she had another month to catch her breath. Some real time to sort out her feelings. Discover what feelings belonged to the beast and what feelings belonged to her. Discover if there even was a difference.

Kate flung herself onto her bed. It was either that or keep pacing back and forth like a caged animal.

Tonight... tonight she'd be with Max again. And Chloe.

Kate breathed in deep and pushed her hand down into her skirt.

Tonight...

* * * * *

The light of the moon fell in through the window and illuminated the pentagram chalked on the floor. Black candles stood on each of the pentagram's points, their tiny flames flickering in the midnight breeze coming in through the open window.

A cloaked figure kneeled next to the chalk outline. Chants filled the room - ancient prayers to the forgotten gods of deep forests and cold mountains.

A hand shot out and bones clattered across the pentagram. The figure leaned forward to read how they'd fallen, and frowned.

"Of course," Victoria muttered. "I should've guessed."


	4. Dawn of a New Day

Kate awoke lying between Chloe and Max, feeling absolutely safe and utterly relaxed. Odd how fast she got used to some things. A few weeks ago, the very idea that she might wake up naked in the woods squeezed between two naked women would've freaked her. Now she would've been concerned if she _hadn't_ woken up between them. Or next to one of them, probably. But she liked being the one in the middle.

Memories of the night started trickling in. They were still confused and disjointed. Random images from all over the place. Running between the trees. Play-fighting with a brown wolf that was probably Max. Lying near a pond and watching the moonlight reflected in the water.

And there had been the doe. They'd been running and then Kate - or the wolf that was Kate or whatever - had spotted the graceful animal nearby. She'd loped towards it, blood pounding in her veins, saliva dripping from her fangs.

The doe had watched her, weirdly unafraid. And then, just before she could really pounce, one of the other wolves - Chloe? She wasn't sure - had cannoned into her side and driven her to the ground. The doe had skipped away while the werewolf pinning her to the ground had growled a warning. They weren't here to hunt. They were just here to _be_.

Kate couldn't remember how she'd reacted to that. Calm acceptance? Meek submission? Snarling defiance? Could have been any one of those. But not fear. There was a werewolf looming over at her, snarling at her angrily and she knew she hadn't been afraid.

Well, no matter. Now that the sun shone down on her human body, Kate was only relieved she'd been stopped. She'd feel terrible if she'd so much had harmed that animal. It was nice to know the others were looking out for her.

Acting out of a vague sense of gratitude, Kate quietly kissed the bare shoulder in front of her. She didn't think much about the gesture. It just felt right.

The shoulder turned out to belong to Chloe, who turned around and smiled at her. Kate returned it meekly. Then, without a word, Chloe leaned forward and kissed her.

If Kate had really stopped to think about what was happening, perhaps she would have acted differently. Then again, perhaps not. All she knew, it was a nice morning on what promised to be a sunny day, and Chloe's lips were surprisingly gentle. Kate accepted her without question and kissed her back.

Kate had zero experience with kissing, but that didn't seem to matter much. Chloe, at least, knew what she was doing, and their lips met over and over in quiet, gentle touches. Kate put an arm around Chloe. She wasn't intending to pull her closer or anything, she just wanted to hold her while they kissed.

Kate felt Max put a hand on her shoulder and felt her lips on the back of her neck soon after. Kate shivered slightly as she felt her pleasantly warm body heat up. Max' mouth seemed to caress her bare skin, her soft lips touching her almost at random.

Kate broke away from Chloe, turned around, looked into Max' eyes for maybe a second, then kissed her. If she had to compare, she would've said that perhaps Max' lips were more delicate than Chloe's, more quietly inviting somehow. But the comparison would've been pointless. They were both perfect, just in slightly different ways.

As she kissed Max, Kate felt Chloe hand on her side, softly gliding up and down her bare skin. Her fingertips touched her lightly, barely at all it seemed sometimes. And yet, that mildest little touch seemed to fill her with heat.

Max in front of her, kissing her. Chloe behind her, touching her. And all of them naked. There was something she had to do.

Kate rolled onto her back in invitation. Max and Chloe leaned in simultaneously and their mouths met in a three-way kiss. It was kind of awkward and a lot difficult. There just didn't seem to be enough room for all of them to kiss each other properly all at the same time. Kate let her tongue slip out of her mouth and met Max' and Chloe's. For a while, their tongues writhed and danced around each other, squeezed between their lips.

Still without a word, Max and Chloe pulled away and started kissing their way down Kate's naked body. Kate felt her breath deepen with growing lust while their mouths trailed across her neck and shoulders and down towards her chest. If she hadn't known before, she knew now what was going to happen and welcomed it.

Chloe arrived at her breasts first, her tongue slipping out to caress her curves. Kate sighed, half with contentment, half with growing anticipation. Chloe lapped at her, slowly dragging her tongue across her warm flesh, leaving trails of saliva glimmering on her skin.

Max never stopped kissing her, her lips brushing against Kate's skin over and over again. She caressed her with her mouth, leaving long, lingering kisses all over her chest.

Kate found herself panting, the heat stirring in her core threatening to set her entire body aflame. With Chloe licking one of her breasts all over and Max constantly kissing the other, Kate felt her lust grow by the second. If she'd been by herself, she'd have been masturbating frantically already, but now that Max and Chloe were with her, she was content to let them touch and kiss her body in whichever way they wanted to.

For now.

Kate mewed when, possibly by accident, probably by silent agreement, Chloe and Max both kissed her nipples at the same time. Wet warmth surrounded her sensitive nipples. The tip of Chloe's tongue darted across aureola and eagerly flicked her nipple. Max sucked gently on her breast, suckling quietly. Chloe's enthusiasm and Max' elegance danced together deep inside Kate's body.

Kate groaned with lust, the fire spreading through every limb. She squirmed as though trying to contain emotions too powerful for her body. She was wet with need, her pussy burning for attention. And yet she wouldn't give up Max and Chloe kissing and licking her breasts for anything.

Perhaps she didn't have to. While Max and Chloe kissed and sucked and lapped at her breasts, Kate felt their hands creep down her bare stomach. One glided flatly across her skin, while the other let her fingers walk down. She couldn't tell which hand belonged to who. All her senses were focused only on her pleasure.

Kate's moans filled the air of the forest when the two hands slipped between her legs. Her back arched with pleasure before crashing back down to Earth. She felt Max' and Chloe's fingertips slide up and down her moist folds. Katee would have spread her legs apart for them in a wanton display of her desire, but stuck between Chloe and Max as she was, she couldn't. Instead, she mewed and yelped and moaned while the two caressed her most intimate flesh.

Kate panted in a futile effort to catch her breath. Lust filled her lungs, pleasure owned her body. It was all too much, too much. And not nearly enough. She'd never imagined anything could feel like this. She didn't have words to describe it. The quiet, almost delicate attention, Max and Chloe lavished on her naked body somehow translated itself in burning glory. Lips and tongues and fingers worked blissful miracles.

The two hands caressing her between her legs shifted. One wandered up her overheated slit until her fingers rounded her clit, while the other gently pushed a couple of fingers through her folds until they entered her core.

A ragged, shuddering moan was torn from Kate's lips when the hard pleasure roared through her body. She didn't know if it was Chloe fingering her clit or Max and just did not care. It didn't _matter_. Right now, the two of them were one. The three of them were one.

Kate managed to work her arms under Max' and Chloe's bodies and hugged them. She felt them rest their heads against her shoulders. Part of her was disappointed that they were no longer kissing her breasts, but disappointment was burned away almost instantly by the pleasure given to her by their hands.

Fingers rubbing her clit. Fingers sliding back and forth inside of her. Kate moaned without pause, her pale body trembling with pleasure. She didn't know how much more she could take. Not much. The knowledge was terrible, in a way. She wanted those hands to touch her forever.

Chloe kissed her neck. Max kissed her cheek. Kate whined helplessly, too ravaged by her lust to kiss either of them back.

Kate came gasping, her orgasm shuddering through her body. She moaned and writhed, trapped between Max and Chloe, her body rubbing desperately against their as she sought for a way to express the raging bliss washing through her. She moaned throughout her climactic release, the fires of pleasure cleansing her of all filth.

Max and Chloe didn't pause while Kate came. She could feel them constantly working her clit and pussy as her orgasm ravished her. If anything, the fingers near her clit were working harder than before, urging her ever on, ever higher. Forcing her pleasure to last for as long as possible.

Kate eventually came down slowly, breathing heavily. Her pussy was still wet and hot, but the rest of her body glowed with bliss. She took a few deep gulps of air until she wasn't trembling so much any more. Then she kissed Chloe. And then Max. And then Chloe again. And Max. And... and every time she kissed one she was painfully aware she wasn't kissing the other and she just couldn't stand it.

Max and Chloe solved her conundrum when they both kissed her at the same time. Their shared kiss was still kind of weird and awkward, but it was the only kind of kiss that felt right.

Kate felt her eyes fill with tears. She was just so... so happy. So unspeakably grateful to be a werewolf. If... whatever had happened hadn't happened, she wouldn't have joined up with Max and Chloe like this. Wouldn't have shared this with them. Wouldn't have shared _herself_ with them. She couldn't stop sobbing with joy.

Max kissed her softly and whispered reassuringly.

"Breakfast?" Chloe offered cheerfully.

"What?" said Max. "Oh. Yeah. I'm starving. How 'bout you, Kate?"

Kate smiled through her tears. "Breakfast sounds nice."

* * * * *

School was strange. Kate floated through the day, filled with inner light. To her silent relief, she was actually able to focus on her classes. She hadn't managed to do her homework, though, and that nagged at her. She'd never neglected her homework before. It was a tiny cloud on a day that was otherwise nothing but silver linings.

That was the strangest thing of all. She spent the day waiting for guilt that never came. She'd had... well, to put it bluntly, she'd had premarital sex with two other women. She'd been swept up in the moment, true. She'd just come out of a night spent as a wild animal. That, perhaps, might excuse some of what she'd done. But even so, Kate expected the crushing weight of her sin to catch up with her at any moment and drown her in guilt and misery.

And it just wasn't happening. She wasn't sorry for any of it. The only guilt she felt about this morning was not pleasuring Max or Chloe in return. And even that feeling of guilt was more a mild pang of regret in comparison to not having done her homework.

Max and Kate sat on a bench outside, to enjoy their lunch in the sunshine. There was an uneasy edge about Max. There was something she wanted to ask and she didn't dare ask it.

"Max?"

"Yes, Kate?"

"I'm really happy about what happened," said Kate.

"Oh, that's good," said Max, grinning with relief. "Chloe and I... we don't really think about that stuff, you know? We just let it happen."

"I didn't really think about it either," said Kate. "It just felt right."

"Yeah," Max agreed. She took a bit of her sandwich.

"Although..." Kate said. "I am... I mean... I think it kind of surprised me how gentle you two were. Especially Chloe. She doesn't really strike me as... well, you know..." She trailed off, blushing.

"Well, if we weren't gentle, it wouldn't feel right, would it?" said Max. "This morning was about you. And us. Like how we three are..." she stopped, looking for the right words. "Well, we're a pack now. That's what it's about. We're a pack and we take care of each other."

"I think I get it," said Kate.

"And part of taking care of each other is that when someone doesn't want to do something, then they don't have to, you know?" Max continued awkwardly.

Kate nodded. "I know."

"OK," said Max. "Good."

They ate in companionable silence until a sudden shadow fell over their sunny day.

Victoria stood before them, glaring angrily.

"Did you do it?" she demanded.

"Do what? What are you talking about?" Max asked.

"Curse her," said Victoria, with a nod towards Kate. "Her aura's been all messed up for months now and it got really strong the last couple of days." She glanced at Kate and frowned. "Although it's not as bad now. Weird."

"Curse me?" said Kate. "I'm... what?"

Victoria groaned with annoyance. "Really? You're surprised? You must have noticed _something_ was wrong. And I found out what it was. As I said I would."

"I didn't curse Kate," Max snapped and her voice was almost a growl. "I've been helping her, actually."

"What help could you possibly give?" said Victoria. "I doubt you know the first thing about magic."

"I'm a werewolf," Kate said quietly. "Max has been helping me... accept that."

"Accept? You don't have to accept that," said Victoria. "Someone jammed that wolf into your soul. So what you need to do is find who did it and get them to pull it back out again."

Kate was silent at that. A few days ago she would've leapt at the opportunity, even the possibility, of perhaps getting rid of the beast. Now... now everything was different and more difficult.

"Do you have any idea who did it?" Max asked.

"No," said Victoria. "I thought it was you because you're obviously not human, but now I'm not so sure."

"What?" said Max. "How do... I mean... why would you say something like that? That I'm not human?"

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, you're all old trees and wild flowers. You're obviously a dryad or something."

"Well..." Max grumbled. "Or something."

"It wasn't Max," said Kate. Her voice was quiet, but filled with steel confidence.

"Fine. If you insist," said Victoria breezily. "But then who? I mean, I could have done it, I have that power, but I'm not nearly stupid enough to turn someone into a wild animal. I could get hurt, after all."

"Do you know how it was done?" said Kate.

"No," said Victoria. "Why should I?"

"Because someone apparently was that stupid," said Max. "And it'd help if we knew how they did it."

"I guess so," said Victoria. "Anyway, if it wasn't you, it was probably Warren."

"I don't think it was Warren," said Max.

"Oh really? Imagine our lover of trashy horror coming across a curse in a book or on the internet, thinks it's cool, tries it out, fucks it up and curses Kate here without knowing. Probably shrugged his shoulders and moved on because he thought it was just a dud."

"That's just a hunch," said Max. "I might just as well say that it was 'probably' Nathan."

Victoria scoffed. "You always blame Nathan."

"Well, he's a... I mean," Max continued, giving Victoria a careful look. "He's obviously got issues. Maybe he thought magic would help him get through them somehow."

"Don't be an idiot," said Victoria. "Warren is a much more likely suspect. Or Alyssa, she looks like someone who might try to dabble."

"Not with curses," said Kate. "Alyssa's just not the type for that kind of thing."

"Brooke might be," Victoria said thoughtfully. "She's certainly got the brains for it. And the attitude."

"She's also very technologically inclined," said Max. "I don't think she'd do anything with witchcraft other than roll her eyes at it."

"Well, whatever," said Victoria. She sighed. "Look, we obviously can't have a werewolf running loose around campus-"

" _Obviously_ ," Max muttered under her breath.

"- so why don't you just come up to my room after class? I'll find out how it was done and we'll see where we can go from there, alright?"

"That sounds like a plan," said Kate. "I guess."

* * * * *

Victoria's room turned out to be sleek, stylish and modern. And a had a giant pentagram chalked on the floor. It looked horribly out of place, but Victoria insisted everybody keep clear of it. She didn't want it getting scuffed.

Victoria had opened a wardrobe that had turned out to be full of green and black cloaks. A few bone charms hung from the top, rattling when she opened or closed the door. She'd taken some incense, lit it, then sat down at her desk and turned on her laptop.

Kate had felt rather disappointed about that. She was in the room of a witch with a giant pentagram on the floor. She would've liked to see some actual witchcraft, not a girl hammering away at her laptop.

Chloe had shown up not long after. She was not happy about any of this. She kept pacing up and down, growling, her eyes blazing gold. Kate was half surprised her hand were still hands and not claws. She looked ready to maul someone.

"Blah, blah, blah, animal spirits, animal possession, blah, blah, blah," Victoria said, half to herself and half to the group. "You know, if the FBI has a supernatural department, I'm probably on some watchlist right about now."

"They probably do," said Max.

"Yeah?" said Victoria. "Then explain to me how someone got away with cursing Kate?"

"She's not cursed," Chloe snapped.

"Someone forced it on her," said Victoria. "Hard to call it a blessing, is it?"

"Oh, shut up," Chloe growled. "You have no idea what-"

"Chloe, it's fine," Kate said soothingly. "It had to happen somehow. Does it matter it happened through a curse?"

Chloe's hands opened and closed into fists a few times. She started pacing again.

"You know, Max," said Victoria. "That's two werewolves now. You should really try to find some better friends."

"Thanks for the advice," Max said drily. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Ah, this looks promising," said Victoria. Then, "Oh."

"'Oh'?" Chloe said. "What do you mean, 'oh'?"

"Chloe, I want you to promise me you're not going to break anything, alright?" said Victoria. "Don't shoot the messenger, you know?"

"Is it that bad?" said Max.

"Hunt a wolf. Skin it, then tie its spirit to you through its fur," said Victoria. "There's a bunch more technical details, but-"

Chloe exploded. "Someone murdered a wolf for this? Oh, they're dead."

"No, they're not," said Max.

"Why not? Gimme one good reason," said Chloe.

"You're not them," said Kate.

Chloe snarled, but didn't say anything else. Kate understood her frustration. Something terrible had happened to her, but that was alright because it had turned out less terrible than it could have been. But the price... Someone had hunted down and killed an animal just to hurt her. Someone who considered themselves human.

Kate felt quite angry about that, no matter how much she tried to stay calm. The knowledge of that animal's death sat in her chest like a lead weight. Cold and heavy and threatening to drag her down into the depths.

"Yes, well, fortunately, the curse is pretty easily broken," said Victoria, her voice for too light and breezy for the mood in the room. "You just have to burn the pelt and then that'll be that."

"We have to find the pelt first," said Max.

"It was Nathan, that creep," said Chloe. "He's done this."

Victoria sighed. "Yes, it's always Nathan with you two."

"He's got a gun," said Max.

"And the Prescotts are Arcadia aristocracy. Hunting's what those fuckers do."

"He's got a gun and he's a Prescott," said Victoria. "Those aren't reason to think-"

But Chloe was already gone.

* * * * *

Chloe's boot hit Nathan's door once, twice, and then it gave way. Chloe crashed into the room beyond. Max and Kate followed her.

Nathan stood in the center of the room, looking cocky. But, as Chloe stormed towards him and she and Max instinctively took up position on either side, Kate noticed that his cockiness was rather frayed at the edges. Like someone who'd been putting up a front for too long.

"It was you, you miserable little shit," Chloe roared. "Don't even fucking dare denying it."

"I was what?" said Nathan contemptuously. "You're paying for that door, by the way."

"You were the one to turn Kate into a werewolf without asking!" Chloe screamed. "And you murdered a wolf to do it!"

Nathan looked at Kate as though he'd only just now noticed her - which, with Chloe right up in his face, might actually have been the case.

Kate didn't know what she'd been expecting. Outright denial. Dismissive scoffing. Violence. She hadn't expected him to just admit to it. And yet...

"Yeah, pretty much," Nathan said, grinning sickly. "Took you morons long enough to find out."

A hand grabbed Nathan by the throat, slammed him up against the wall and held him there. Kate wanted to squeeze until there was no breath left in him and wondered why she wasn't doing so. Nathan looked down at her. Not scared, not angry. But smiling, mocking. 

_Proud._

"I didn't kill a wolf, you know," Nathan said, as though someone wasn't holding him up with one hand around his throat. "I exterminated two. First one was supposed to infect Max, but it didn't take somehow. Second one... well, what a success, eh?"

Kate could feel her teeth starting to lengthen and her fingernails harden into claws. She should tear out his throat right now. For what he'd done to her. For gloating about it. For murdering those wolves. Exodus 21:24. An eye for an eye. His one life would pay for the two he'd taken so callously.

"I knew it," Nathan said. "You and Max... always so meek and mild and innocent. I knew it was all just a front. Bunch of hypocrites. You thought you were so much better than me. Didn't you? _Didn't you!_ "

"I pitied you," Kate growled. "I still do."

"Yeah?" said Nathan. "That why you got your hand around my neck?"

Kate stood frozen. Nathan was so pathetic. Crushed by the burden of a family name. Left in the cold by a father who cared about an heir, not a son. Adrift and alone and forced to be much more than he could possibly be.

And did that excuse him? Did that make up for what he'd done? It would earn him forgiveness in the next life, but did that mean he deserved it in this one? Understanding, perhaps. Forgiveness...

Kate lowered Nathan to the ground and turned away from him. She took a deep breath. She was trembling all over.

No, not forgiveness. But that didn't have to mean revenge either.

Kate felt Max put an arm around her and sank into her embrace. Max kissed the top of her head.

"I'm proud of you," she whispered.

Chloe stood in front of Nathan. "Well, that was bracing. Turns out Kate really is a better person than you are. Lucky you, huh?"

"She's just weak," Nathan muttered.

"Yeah, well, the meek shall inherit the Earth," Chloe said. "Supposedly. So that just leaves one last little thing before we go."

"I have nothing to say to you," said Nathan.

"Oh, I think you do," said Chloe. "Because, see, if you don't tell us where you've hidden that pelt, I'm going to break every single one of your fingers."

* * * * *

They'd ended up in Arcadia Bay's junkyard. The place was so full of rust, Kate felt she needed a tetanus shot just looking at the place. Nathan had led them to a rusted-out hulk that had once been a car. As promised, two pelt lay in the back. Kate's and the one that would've been Max' if she hadn't been a werewolf already.

Having shown where he'd hid the pelt, Nathan had left. Because he'd had his fun, he'd said, he didn't care about whatever happened next. Kate was sure it wasn't at all because Chloe had kept growling at him all the way.

Chloe awkwardly held the pelts. Kate tried not to look at them. Tried not see how ragged they were or how matted with blood. Tried, especially, not think about what had made them that way.

"Well, this is it," said Chloe. "But, uhm, we don't have to destroy these, you know."

"We really do," said Max. "What happened was wrong."

"Yeah," said Chloe. "But it's happened. And if we burn these, Kate'll go back to being human. And... well... do you want to? Be human again?"

"I wish you'd asked me that yesterday," said Kate. "Or the day before. But what I want doesn't matter."

"It's the one thing that really matters," said Chloe. "It's up to you."

"It really isn't," said Kate. "Destroy them."

Chloe sighed. "As you wish."

Chloe put the pelts on the ground and went to grab the gasoline.

"Before you burn them," Max interjected. "Kate, do you want to say something?"

Kate looked mutely at the pitiful pile of fur on the ground. What could she possibly say?

"Thanks for the gift," she said. "And may you go to a better place."

It didn't seem enough. It didn't seem near enough.

"Nice," said Chloe.

Chloe doused the pelts in gasoline and stood aside. Moving slowly, trying to make it as much of ceremony as possible, she lit at match and flicked it at the pile.

Kate screamed in agony. Pain tore her body apart. She felt her bones grind against each other, her skin blacken in the flames and every nerve twisting in torment.

Kate's strength failed her and she fell onto hands and knees. She forced her eyes to stay open, to see that her skin was still pink and healthy and not burning like the pelts. She had a hard time convincing herself. The pain tore at her insides, ripping huge chunks out of her body and flinging them away.

Max and Chloe knelt down next to her and hugged her. Kate barely noticed. There was nothing past the screaming agony.

And then there was nothing but a pile of ashes where the pelts had been. Kate was still there, on hands and knees, healthy, unblemished and empty. Human. Whatever it had been lurking in her soul - a beast or the wild or a bunch of new instincts - it was gone now. There was nothing there any more.

"Fuck, if I'd known that was gonna happen," Chloe began.

"Still... should've... done it," Kate gasped. "It's over now."

"Are you alright?" Max asked.

Kate nodded and took a weak, shuddering breath. "Yeah, I'm... fine."

"Sure?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah."

And Kate stood up, whole and incomplete.


	5. Epilogue: Born Again

It was full moon and it meant nothing. It was just a light in the sky. Kate hated the sight of it. Hated how her own body didn't react to it at all.

Things had not gone back to normal. After the episode in the junkyard, after the werewolf had been burned out of her, she'd tried to just go on as if nothing had happened. As if the last few months had never existed. Max and Chloe both had offered to bite her and turn her back into a werewolf again, but Kate had turned them down. It wasn't smart to rush back into things, she'd said.

Every day, Kate regretted saying that.

She still saw Max, of course. They went to the same school and the same classes. They couldn't not run into each other. But somehow it wasn't the same. Max held her hand and hugged her, but it always felt distant. As if she was hugging some other Kate. She knew it wasn't Max who felt that way. It was all her.

Chloe avoided her altogether. The few times they had run into one another had been unbearable. Chloe pitied her. She looked at her with such pain in her eyes. Kate wanted to tell her that it was fine, she was alright. But she didn't want to lie to her.

God, but she'd hated the beast. It had been wild and intrusive and angry. It had thrown her thoughts into chaos and magnified every emotion. And yet, it had led her to Max and Chloe and one beautiful morning. Now it was gone and all that was left was grey and dreary.

If there was a bright spot, it was that Victoria was making an effort to be kinder. She wasn't much good at it, but Kate appreciated the clumsy attempts.

"You know," Victoria had told her one day, "you try to do the right thing and you only end making a bigger mess. Don't you just hate it when that happens?"

Kate had agreed. Victoria had given her a forced smile and told her to cheer up, things would get better and other such platitudes.

Things would get better.

Kate stood in the forest, the full moon shining down on her naked body. She shivered with the cold, but stood resolutely.

Two large wolves padded towards her, one brown, the other white with a blue patch. Kate knelt on the ground as they approached. The two wolves walked around her, their warm fur tickling her bare skin. Kate nodded and the wolves bit her, sinking their teeth into her shoulder. Kate grunted. It was painful, but nowhere near as painful as the fire that had taken the beast from her had been.

The wolves drew back. Blood trickled from wounds that were already healing.

Kate looked up and the moonlight filled her soul.


End file.
